There is no better feeling than being out on the open road and knowing that you have a refrigerator full of food that you can tap into whenever you need it. The only question that some have is how exactly an RV refrigerator works in the first place.
They have figured out the concept of how a typical home refrigerator works, but it can be a little more mysterious to determine what goes into making an RV refrigerator function the way that it does.
We have the answers for you, and you are going to want to buckle up for this one, because it is very interesting how these devices work.
The Easiest Explanation
If you would like to start with the simplest explanation of how an RV refrigerator works, you can start by saying that it functions as a heat pump. This is to say that it literally pumps heat from inside the refrigerator to outside of the refrigerator.
In this case, outside of the refrigerator often literally means outside. The RV refrigerator will pump the heat that is contained within it to the outside world so that it is no longer clogging up the space inside of the refrigerator.
This allows items inside of the refrigerator to get cold, and that makes it easier for the travelers to enjoy the foods that they are already familiar with no matter where they are.
Different Types of Refrigerators
There are two main types of refrigerators found in RVs. They are a compressor fridge and an absorption RV fridge. Either type may be accessible to those who want to take their RV out for a spin.
What is important to remember is that these refrigerators operate a little differently from one another.
1. The Compressor Fridge
A compressor fridge uses a closed loop cooling system that uses the mechanical compression of gas to help cool the contents contained within the refrigerator. Some people refer to it as a mechanical fridge because of this specific process.
There are three parts to the cycle that a compressor fridge goes through in order to complete its work. Those processes are:
- Compression – The compressor pressurizes the vapor to a higher pressure. This increases the temperature of the vapor.
- Condensation – Hot refrigerant enters the compressor and is cooled. The vapor condenses into a liquid in this stage.
- Evaporation – The liquid refrigerant is forced through a large tube. This causes the pressure to be lowered and the temperature to cool down.
It seems like a complex mechanical process because it is. All of this had to be discovered by engineers over the years, but the process has now been perfected. Their hard work has made it possible to have a refrigerator that you can take with you on an RV trip.
2. The Absorption Fridge
The process that one goes through with an absorption fridge is much different than what one sees with a compressor fridge. The reason for this is because the absorption fridge uses the unorthodox method of extracting heat out of the fridge by actually burning propane to keep the inside contents cool.
It seems counterintuitive, but this is a process that works for getting the refrigerator to cool down the way that it needs to.
People are often amazed by how much power the absorption fridge that they purchase can provide them, but it really does work. It is one of those machines that we have to marvel at because it is truly a modern miracle.
Other Types of RV Refrigerators
The two types of refrigerators mentioned above are indeed the most common types that one will see in an RV, but that doesn’t mean they are the only type out there. There are several other options worth noting.
3. Mini-Fridge
It almost reminds you of your college days right? Getting a mini-fridge into your dorm room is something that you may have done at some point when you were in school.
It is a sort of rite of passage for some people to get their first mini-fridge where they can store the items that they need to grab for a late-night snack or their everyday meals.
Whatever the case may be, it is worth noting that mini-fridge options are available for those who want to put a refrigerator into their RV.
4. Portable Fridge/Cooler
Many people filled with wanderlust are familiar with the idea of loading up a portable refrigerator or cooler into their vehicle and taking it along with them for the journey.
This is one of the easier ways that a person can load up their vehicle and have it packed with just the right kind of snacks that they need to entertain their guests.
It is pretty easy to get the portable fridge/cooler loaded up with all of the snacks and goodies that one might want to have for the journey ahead of them. Just throw some ice into the container, and you are off to the races.
5. Residential-Style Refrigerator
Those with the space to make it happen can choose to add a residential-style refrigerator to their RV. To be fair, this is not an easy fit for many RVs, but it is still an option that some people may want to give some consideration to.
It is not easy to get it to fit into the RV, but there are alterations that can be made to make sure you get your residential-style refrigerator added into your RV if that is what you decide you want to do.
The obvious upside to this is that you will have more storage space for all of the food and beverages that you want to bring along the journey.
Keeping it Properly Maintained
One of the elements of RV camping that you should never forget is the fact that you need to keep your refrigerator properly maintained. It is up to you to make sure you get it serviced as needed, and always keep it fully operational and functional for all of your camping needs.
There are numerous complex parts and elements that go into the design of an RV refrigerator, and it is possible that any number of those parts could have technical difficulties at some point.
Given that this is a known fact, you need to do everything in your power right now to make sure you keep your refrigerator fully operational for when you need it.
Look in the various areas where you may take your RV to see where there are quality repair shops in case you need to bring in the fridge at some point along your journey. There is nothing worse than a refrigerator that isn’t working on a long journey (particularly in hot areas!).
It can make you uncomfortable on your journey, and it can even pose a threat to your health and well-being in extreme situations.
Thus, you should try to avoid those terrible outcomes and focus on getting your refrigerator properly maintained by people who know what they are doing and who love to work on these types of projects. They can have you back up on the road with a full-functioning refrigerator in no time if you let them do the work that they need to do.